This pretty girl, who hails from Jaipur started performing in theatre at the age of 15, but never aspired to find a foothold in the entertainment industry. However, while she was busy juggling theatre and pursuing studies in physiotherapy, she soon encountered an opportunity to work in television. A year later, the versatile actress, singer and composer, Aakanksha Singh made her debut in one of the popular Hindi soap titled Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha followed by Gulmohar Grand before making her Bollywood debut with a small role in Badrinath Ki Dulhania.
Soon she headed southwards andacted in a Telugu film Malli Raava. Now, she is gearing up for her debut in a Kannada film alongside Sandalwood’s popular star Kiccha Sudeep in Pailwaan. Apart from this, she is also simultaneously shooting for the Nani and Nagarjuna starrer in a yet to be titled Telugu multi starrer. In an exclusive interview with Bengaluru Chronicle, she talks about her Kannada debut, physiotherapy and much more.
“Though I started learning the act and performing in theatre at 15, I had never dreamt of becoming an actress nor did I made any attempt to land in Mumbai, and then to struggle to seek work opportunities in the industry. It was my mentor in theatre who had asked to me audition for a television programme. I did, but I was not selected. A year later, the same producer offered me the role for my debut Hindi serial and thereafter my life took a complete U-Turn,” says Aakanksha Singh.
Born and brought up in Jaipur, the actress further adds that though she took up acting, she managed to pursue her studies in physiotherapy.
While she felt content performing in theatres, the Pailwaan heroine feels that television and movies were always there on her mind as she would enact scenes in front of mirror for hours. “It sounds funny but I would make faces in front of mirror and read dialogues and practice speech for having won an award! I would remain inside the washroom for hours,” she quips adding that if someone is truly passionate about something and gives it their best, then destiny will take them to their destination sooner or later.”
Married to her boyfriend, Kunal Sain, the actress talks about working in the small screen industry and returning to it says, “I am always there for television. I keep getting asked this question on whether I would return to the small screen after I made it into films. I just do not want to do the typical saas-bahu serials or any stereotype soaps. As long as I get good and different kind of roles, I am happy to be part of it. Fortunately, I am getting such roles in films down south including Pailwaan where I play a dual shaded character. Also, I am simultaneously shooting for an yet to be titled film starring Nani and Nagarjuna sir.”
As far as my Kannada debut, it was the producer who directly approached me seeking to know if I was interested in doing a film in South. “When I told him that I had already worked in a Telugu movie, I was invited for a look test and asked to hear the script. It is an interesting film, and moreover I am happy that my debut film in Kannada stars the popular actor Kiccha Sudeep,” the actress says, adding that she had very little knowledge about the Kannada film industry. “When I found out through my friends and fellow artistes on how Sudeep sir is such a huge star in Kannada films, I felt very happy. However, when I filmed along with him in the first schedule, he made me feel very comfortable and was very cooperative as a co-artiste,” she adds.
Before signing off, on the rarity of being a physiotherapist and an actress, she says that physiotherapy was never taken seriously till sports started getting associated with it in India. “When I took it up, it was seen as a ‘mere help’ but it is a vast area and many have started realising its importance. Presently, with films in hand I have no time to practice but in future, I will definitely take it up,” she sums up.
